This is "Part 1" To your first question; Some students expect to repeat their high-school experience; i.e. "they'll pass me no matter what I do if I show up enough" Some others are "observers" and do not participate in class or lab. And there are some that actively try to gain attention by sleeping, talking, horseplay, and disrepectful behaviour in order to draw a disiplinary comment from the instructor - they wear it as a badge of honor. To your second question; Working to retain the student means you work to draw their interest into the subject matter of class and the activites of lab. Sometimes the best way to accomplish this is to tolerate minor annoyances and let them see other students making progress. Gaining understanding and achieving goals of those tasks, be they test questions, lab assignments or other activities